Rays Considering Crisp?

The Rays are searching for an outfielder who can hit left-handed, and now that they have tried and failed to sign Kenny Lofton, they are also taking a look at Coco Crisp; Tampa Bay is loaded with a wide range of pitching prospects, so it would seem that Boston could find a fit if it wanted to make a deal.

The fact remains that at $11MM over the 2008-09 seasons, Crisp is too expensive to carry as a fourth outfielder. Using him in right diminishes his value, and the Rays probably don’t want to move B.J. Upton again. So this isn’t the perfect fit for Tampa Bay; they’d probably need Boston to eat some salary. The one pitcher I could see them sending over for Crisp is Edwin Jackson.

But then there’s still the same division factor. Does either team really want to risk improving the other? These aren’t your daddy’s Rays; this team could be more than a thorn in Boston’s side in 2008.